Mechanism for feeding sheet material.



PATENT MAY 21', 1907';

W. G: JOHNSTON.

HEET MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED UNE 8, 1903.

MECHANISM FOR FEEDlNG S a SEEETS-SHEET 1.

as $0 m3 5? m3 N 0 T S N H 0 T0 mm W MECHANISM FOR FEEDING SHEET MATERIAL.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 8, 1903.

- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m0 g i WITNESSES:

1W n om NQ m A TTORNEY:

No. 854.040; PATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

W. G. JOHNSTON; MECHANISM FOR FEEDING SHEET MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1903.

x s SHEETS-SHEET s. I

L ENQQ 5% n 3'5 I IN VENTOR:

v Mk amc sohfi on A TTORN E Y:

v Kw his ia ectional view tal ;en' suhstai'itially upon tl l i h a 3; i? 1g. 5 sectional I .0 VIOW ti. ion Ll e same line, but showing i Vililil'AM. (i. J01 INS TON, OF WOODBURY, NEW 5 Wife FLY, A

ntfvlilhlwlliiilfs, TO THE AMERICAN PAPER G CTIOUT, A CORPORATLIUN 0 NEW Jlilittihli.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Annlication filed June 3,1903. Serial No. ieasso.

I0 .9017], whom it may eoncern:

Be it known that i, WiLLniivi G. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, and. a resident Vi mdlnnv, State of New Jersey, have ini iii a new on d iisoli'nl. improvements .echamszn tor Feeding; Sheet Material, of which the following is a specification.

My invontimi relates to feedqneehanisin having a in range of adaptability in. eonin i [h machines of various kinds in *hieh shoe inn rial may be operated on to produce goods of diji'lerent character, and while seown employs-ti "with printing-press islimite'd to no specific use.

Priinarih, the object of my invention is the provision of improved fetal-mechanism lor advaneing a sheet to a ineehine Which will o wrato thereon.

(itl'ihr ohjei, s of the invention are the pro- "vision of im ovements in various elements of said ninisni including rotarynich'or "a the suction principle, and operatii'i a sheet from a pile, a reeiproc said. picker, and eon- 25 tinimnsi ochanisl'n of any-suitable charartm the sheet to the ma chine with the lfeedsnechanisni may (lthcr ohjo oi the invention will he set 0 Forth in the following description:

in the moin'panying drawings, Figure I is aside elevation of one of the many kinds of machines, (for instance cylinder printingpress), having my ii'l'iproveinents applied a side elevation of the opposaiine machine; Fig. 3 a front he i in g' ifoved ieed -1neehanism iil'orent positions; Fig. 6 a side is re(-iprocoting portion of the Ill, sl'iowing the means for ,ifli; Fig. 7 sectional view iaily upon the line 7-7 oi" 5 l n longitiidinal sectional view of the nit-her on s controlling valve; Fig. 9 a transmit-so swoon of the controlling valve, shown in Fig. 8; his. 10 an elevation oi the end oi the irvmlingg-imnrls and thesupports for tln :eotiiving device; Fig. 11 an elevation, partly i fion, showing" thedetails oi the the pert eleva Witlvthe iinper si. la

ilhli) S iTAllES PAilii lhiT 'Eatented May 21, 1907.

mechanism for operating the rectifying-de- Like nu'rncrals designste sin'iilar parts throng-hon t the several views.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates plates forming the frame at opposite sides of the machine, said frame carrying at one end the supports '2, on whim the heading mesh anis'in and the table l? for carrying the pile of sheets to be printed mounted. Upon the tops of the side iraoies 1 hingitudinai bars 3 are provided'ifor retaining the cylinder hearings 1t, it n position, and also for sup' porting other parts of the mechanism. A printing cylind n 5 i iournaletl inone set of hearings l, \Vlliili the paper-marrying cylinder 6 is retained in the other set oi said hearings 4. Upon the outer ends oi. the shafts or studs, which form the journals 7 and 55, for the cylinders and o,- respeetif-Jely, are secured intern'ieshing gears 9 and, 10, the ear 9, of which, is adapted to mesh with a nail gear ll, carried. upon the driving shaft 12, which dr.iving-shait aiso earries a pulley 13, driven by a heit i i. The hearings i for the cylinder 6 are slidefoi mounted inthe frame piste 1, and adapted to be reciproeated by means of toggies 15. These toggles are operated hy the links is, Whibh are connected to the lever 12'" and to the crank arm 18, respectively, carried by the transverse shaft 19, and said links are norm ally held .in raised position by means of a spring 20, Whi h at one end is fastened to the machine frame It, and at its otl'ier extremity is attached to an arm 23 carried. hy the shaft i9.

To regulate the pressure of the printingplate 'upon the paper the hearings of the printizig-e vhnder me made adjustable by means 01'? screws 5 Usual earn-operated grippingfingers 33:3 are ee'rried by cylinder-5, and. oscillating gnide iin ers 243-, which are cam-operated, are iooatedifhove said. cylinder 6. On horizontal g'iortions o hrachets slidahle hearii hioeks 25 and 26 are reciprooahle, the innier portions oi 1.00 these hloelts hemg snhsta lly on a line oi table 2?, upon which the pile oi iiniper 28 to he p ULR'JGd is placed.

'' adjacent to its end, which is driven by a belt said sleeve 40. These sleeves constitute en 35 I "mesh with a rack 43,.which is fixed to the tathe arms or links 32, each having at its free pile of paper when the reciprocatory blocks and. 26'are moved toward said pile. Be

. rorn' thepile, said sleeve being provided with a. port 41, which communicates through an At each side of the sleeve 40 the shait 39 is .be made integral with said shaft if desired.

' carrying pifikel' 40Will. be oscillated through Secured within projections 29 and 30 at the upper inner corners of the bearing-blocks 25 and 26 are the ends of a horizontal rod 31, and adjacent to saidends and within the projections are mounted for arcuate movement end a bearing for the rubber-covered roll 33. A plate 34 is adjustably attached to the rod 31 at its central portion by a thumb screw 34", and is inclined downward so that its lower edge will pass beneath the lowest sheet of the Heath the roll 33, a second rubber-covered roll 35 is provided, which also has bearings in the blocks 25 and 26, and one of the journals 35 of which extends through the block 26, and is adapted to carry a grooved pulley 37 38, to which power 1s communicated by means hereinafter to be described. At the rear of the roll 33 is a tubiiilar shaft 39, which also has bearings at each end in the slidable blocks 25 and 26. 4 On this shaft rigid therewith and constituting an enlargement of its central portion is a sleeve 40 constituting a picker for detaching the lower-most sheet 0penin'g39 with the bore 39 of saidv shaft.

provided with other sleeves A and A rigid therewith and slightly less in diameter than largements of the shaft 39, and while shown separate therefrom and rigid therewith may To the peripheries of said sleeves A and A one end of a flexible apron 41 is attached, theother end of said apron being secured to the table 27, asindicated in .Fig. 7, and said apron is divided at its central portion to per' sniallgear or pinion 42, which is adapted'to ble 27.., "It will therefore be seen that as the, blocks '25 and 26 reciprocate, the shaft 39 the action of the gear 42, and the fixed rack '43. At the opposite end of the tubular shaft 39 is attached an automaticvalve 44,-whlc'h is shownmost clearly in Figs. 8 and 9.- This valve 44 consists of a cylindrical'block having an axial chamber45 within which the end of the shaft 39 is'adapted to-pass, said cylindrical block 44 being alsonrovided-with a smaller longitudinal chamber 46, within which fits one end of a suction-tube 47.

Any suitable exhausting device may be connected with the suction-tube for creating a suction or vacuum and-may he located at any convenient part of the machine blocks 25 and 26.

seaoeo chamber 45' withthe chamber 46, and there is also asimilar port 49in the shaft 89 which communicates with the opening 48 when said shaft is in the requisite position to cause or at another place. A port 48 connects the port is covered with a flexible flap or valve 51, which is held in position in any suitable manner, as by elastic hands 52. ing 50,- with the flap 51, forms a relief valve.

' which allows air to enter the hollow shaft 39,

should the suction therein become too great for efficient operation. A projecti'on'44. is attached'to one end'oi the block 44, and is adapted to engage with apin 45 attached to the block 25, as shown in Fig. 8" By these means, the valve 44 is held in a fixed :position, while the end of the shaft'is adapted to close communication between the chamber The open 46 and the interior of the shaft 39, as they, ports 48 and 49' are brought into ,and out of the register.

Upon the rear portion 'of the brackets 2,

journal boxes 52 are provided, which carry a horizontal shaft 53, and on this shaft 53 are fixed two upwardly-extending arms 54,

which engage a bar o'rjrod 55 connecting the Slots 56 are provided in the upper ends of the arms 54 to permit slight play of the arms'with relation to'said rod. A downwardly-'extending arm 57, is also fixed to"theishait 53, and is connected at its lower enghto a link 58, which is articulated to a wrist-pin 59 carried by the gear 9, in virtue of which it will be seen that as said gear 9 rotates the link 58 will he reciprocated and will inturn oscillate the arm 57', shaft 53,

and the arms 54 thereby im artin reci'n'ov P l catory movements to the blocks 25 and 26 and the rolls 33, 35, and 40 journaled therein with relation to the pile of sheets 28. 1

A shaft 60 journaled in the projections 61, 62 of the brackets 2 carries at one end. a grooved pulley 63, and the central portion oi said shaft constitutes a grooved roll 64. Ad iacent the projections 61 and .62 of the hrackets 2, and upon the shaft 60, are pivoted the side-bars 65, within the lower or inner ends of which is journaled a second.

grooved roll 66. A plate 67 also connects the lower ends oi these sidediars, and said plate has slots 68 therein, into which pass the conveying hands 69, which are carried in the grooves of the rolls 64 and 66. Y I g Attached to the plate 67 are supports 9].

land 92, said supports having openings through which pass two sections 93 and 94 of a horizontal rod, the section 93 lacing adapted. to be held firmly in a support 91 by a thumbscrew 95, while the section 94 passcsslidably through the suppo rt 92. I nects the ad acent inner ends oi the sections A sleeve 96 con 5 oscillate within the chamber 45 to open and.

93 end 594- oi the horizontal rod, said sleeve being lined. to the section 93, hut slidoblv rt. teining the end. of the section 9 t. Upon. the ,ections and 94c of the horizontal root are adjust/ably mounted-glides or stops 9? and i Q o, said stops having projections which err-- tend into to slot or slots 99 in the plate 67. At itsouter end the section 94 is provided with e esd 100, grooved-at 100 to receive it verticel in 101,' seid. oin being carried by e horizontal rod 102 supported in fined hesring 183 of the frame. Said rod 102 adopted. to slide in said hearing 103, but is prevented from turning therein by or keyend-slot connection .104. I Upon the gear 10 is cost or otherwise secured a coin-shaped projection, 105, Wl 'ch isedepted to engage the outer end. o't'the rod 102 and force the some inward et eecl'i rotation of said. gear 10. A' spring 106 is attached to the pin it'll at one end, While the other end oi seid spring is connected to e pin 107 fixed to hearing 3G3, said spring serving .to retract the rod.- section or end to keep the rod 102 in position toengoge "the co n-projection 105, (see i ig.

To the hover portion of the plates 1 oi the ironic are attached inclined hers end 71,

' which carry on their upper sides a reeeivin table '72, and also the suplforts of two journnl bearings 73 end 74., o s left being journa led in these hearings, and provided at its central portion with a grooved roll 7633- Beneeth the cylinder 6, end. ivoted upon the frame-plates 1, support/ 77, which c y ottheir lower end e grooved roll 78, \vitl in the grooves of-Which, and the grooves of the roll 76, ere placed the traveling conveyinghands 79. Upon one end of the shaft 75 is provided e'grooved pulley 80, which is connected by moons of the 'eross-helt S1 with the grooved'p'ulley 82 fixed on the main shel't 12. On the opposite end of the shaft 75 it carries another grooved pulley 83, Which is connect ed by belv 38 with the grooved pulley 37" he .fore described. Projections 88 rise from the hers 3, endere adapted to cooperate with the correspondinglugs or lgilocks 89, which '7 ettached to the side-bars 65, to thus eft'ord e oo gets 24, When tho latter are lowered support for the lower endso't' the eoiitveyiu hands 69 end the roll 66, in proper gosition in reletion to the cylinder I The plate 6! is oi such it length as to project slightly over the lower ends of the hers et, end: said projecting portion. rn-ovioed with e dovetail. port 84-, which carries ed- }ustehle fingers 85, Whichcome very close to the surface of the paper-carrying cylinder =3, and which engage the ends of the guidelintoward the cylinder 6. Theseperts ere usually provided for controlling the paper in cylinder printing-pr oud therefore do not re uire 11 or until its forward end ohms 1 a gen; 85, end i: assumed illllf:

Li? sLL-a psper or other sheets to printed. 4 pieced. upon the table in such position that one edge of the pile will he locatedsuhstent' over the ol' the tubular shaft 39, when the loloels and are at their extreme outvverd limit of motion. as shown in Fig. 5, thus permitting the port 41 to come directly beneath the end. of" the lower sheet of the pile by reusol'i of the feet that the gear 1521 of the she-it 3?? is adjusted with reletion to the melt ditto bring said port into such position. Sue'- tion produced. in the shaft 39 is then made e'lleetive by means of the VftlVG'lElGOl -J the openings 18 and 49 registering vith each other when the picker t0 is in the position, shown seid .li'ig. This suct' m causes the lowest sheet of the "pile to edl'iore to the surface of the pic-tier 40, and. es the shaft 39 and said picker rotates at contra-rlocltwise,

Fig. 5) direction. said sheet is drown Forward anddownward, While at the some time the blocks 25 end hog-in to move inward. When the lower sheet llft-S drown downwind so thet its edge eoines opproximately opposite the line of coutectof the rolls 33:3 end 35 the suction Within the shaft 39 ceesos, because-the ports =18 and. (it) of sold slnrlt and valve-block no tong-er registor thus releasing the sheet end permitting the some to pass between said rubher-c0vered rolls end. 35. Should the suction become greater eels necessary todrew the lower sheet of no pile downwerd, air Willleslr in beneath the flop 5t and. thus relieve the some. These rubber covered rolls eontii'no onsly driven by the heit 38, end. they grip the sheet and heceuse of the higher speed et which they ere run, rapidly project said sheet forward from beneath "the pile and place it upon the conveying bands 69. While this has been taking place the blocks 241- and zwein come to at position adjacent to the. pile oi: sheets by its oscillation due to it forward movement oi" the blocks 25 and 2t the sheet which Wes first withdrown has left the rolls end continues on its cour e toward the printing cylinder. After len'ving the rolls 33 end the sheet is dropped on 'if- 'in; -l e eds El and is carried downwind 'i the stops it in contact with the tin .iirdietely after the sheet hes osition the stop Q8 is given e t inward movement and pushes the sheet up to the sdjustshle stop 97, thus per fectly eliuing; the'sheet with the form upon which are t the printingcylinder, so to have the printing nmtter accurately pieced upon the si t ce i" surtsce oi the sheet. linn'iedietcly' after the ceases sheet, While at the same time the stops 24 in the purview thereof; So too, the form of raised out of the path of the sheet, and the picker may be varied, and the mechanas the cylinder 6 rotates the sheet is brought ism may be arranged in vertical, horizontal into contact with the printing-cylinder 5 or other desired positions without departure and the impression made. Thereafter the from the invention. A i prii'ited sheet continues its downward move 7 Having thus described my invention What ment, and when its forward end is above the I claim is: y OOIlVtEYlIig-bzlfldS 79, the gripping-fingers 23 l.- in sheet-feeding mechanism, a suction are caused to release their hold in the usual roll, means for reciprocating said suction- Y manner, which allows the sh to drop on roll, means'for oscillating said roll upon its said hands 72 and to be conveyed to the axis and an axially fixed valve casing carried receiving table 72. by sid roll and having a passage adapted to Should it he desired for any reason to stop register with an opening in said suction-roll, the impressions heing made by the printing- When the latter is in one position for controlcylinder, the lever 17 may he raised, and by ling the suction of said roll. means of the toggles "l5 and the connecting 2. in sheet-feeding mechanism, slidable .parts, the cylinder 6 will he moved slightly blocks or hearings, a suctiorii'oll journaled in away from the cylinder 5. v said bearings, means for reciprocating said It will be noticed by the construction. hearings, and a valve-casing carried by said i above described, that many advantages and roll and lined. to one of said blocks for inter- R 5 functions are attained, which have heretomittingly controlling the suction of said roll. fore not been embodied in autom print in sheet-feeding mechanism, a suctioning-presses. By having the framecnd rolls roll carried in reciprocating bearings, means for supporting the conveying-ha Ads 69, for oscillating said roll, means for reciprocatpivcted so to he movable ahout'the' shaft ing said hearings, a valve-casing mounted 9c 60, said frames may he raised to the position upon said suction-roll, means for preventing shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus persaid casing from oscillating, a secondary mitting the cylinder 6 to entirely unobchamher or opening in said valvc-casing, said structed, and therefore the same can he valveasasingg and said suction-roll having made ready before the press is started in opening; which are adapted to register with 5 the printing operation, Without displacing each other, to connect said secondary chamor disconnecting any parts of the machine. her with the interior of said suction-roll, and lhis operation of making ready consists means for prod cing suction in said secondin applying thin pieces paper to the sur-- cry chamber. face oi the cylinder 6, at such points l. in shect-ieeding mechanism, an oscil- 10o too low to give the requisite amount of preshollow suction-roll therefor, a valve sure to make a clear and distinct impression, carried by said roll, means for preand it is therefore required that access to the said casing from turning upon its surface ol' the cylinder may be easily c'baxis, a secondary chamber in said valve-castained and entirely unobstructed. ing, said chamber and hollow roll having-[o5 A further advantage of the construction openings communicating with each other set forth is that all parts are simplified and when. the roll is in a predetermined position, made more accessible, while at the same time and. means for producing suction in said the capacity of the machine in the number of chamber.

pcrliour printed is greatly increased. ,l'n sheet-feeding mechanism,- rec ipro- By providing the guiding or rectifyingcatinghearinghloclrs,an oscillating siictionblocks )7 and 98, the sheet is positively and roll carried by said bearing-blocks, rotating accurately located in position to receive the feed rolls also carried hy'said bearing-blocks, impression immediately before it is placed means for oscillating said suction-roll, means upon the pressure linder for reciprocating said hearing-blocks, and 11.5 I do not wish to be limited to the details oimeans for continuously rotating said feedforms and arrangements oi. parts herein set rolls. forth, for changes may he made in the use of in sheet-feeding mechanism, reciproequivalents and in other ways, without deeating hearing-blocks, a suction-roll carried parting from the spirit or scope of my inventhereby, means ior oscillating said suctiontion. roll, a valve carried by said suction-roll for While a silction-picker shown l'or deintermittingly and automatically controlling taching; and feeding the sheets from the hot the suction therein, leed-rolls carried by said tom of the pile, the invention is not limited hearing-blocks, means lorrotating, said feedthereto, and by slight modii'ications the rolls, means for delivering; the sheets to be 1 5 mechanism may be arranged to lend from the printed from said ieed-rolls to the printingtop of the pile; nor is the invention limited mechanism. to the precise arrangement of operating 7 In slicet-l'eedinn'v mechanism, hearingmechanism shown, and described, i o'r various l blocks. means for reciprocating said bearingnioditications may be made tl'iat will he With- 1 blocks, an oscillating suction-roll carried by 1 0 one, oi tho she:

said benring-blocls ,snid suctii'm-roll, food rolls also carried by from rotating. 1

9. 'lhc combination, with n sheet support for a pile of shoots, of n piclior l'or dotaching from the pile, s reciprocatory device carrying said picker, means for actuating; said picker on said device to cuuso it to seize and doli'ver u shoot, cud moons curriod by said devicc lor ndvnncing u shoot dclivercd by said picker. Y

10. The cmnhinution, with 2L table for ceiving a pile of sheets, of n picker having a. port, it shu'lt having boro, undo port regisitcring with tho port oi tho picker, moons l'or applying suction to the shalt, means for reciprocuting tho shalt, means for ri'itutii'ig the shaft, and lecdunoch:inisrn to which tho sheet is delivered by said picker.

11. The cinnl linzttion, with a, table for recoiving n pile of sheets, of a. sliding support, means for reciprocation said support, foodrolls carried by the support, moans for continuously-drii said ced rolls, and n picker for dctsching's shoot from a pilo and delivering it to said iced-rolls.

1.2,. The cinnhiiiiution, with a tablo for tocciving it pile of shoots, oi u movable support, means for actuating soid supporhi'ccd-rolls carried by tho support, moans for continw ously rotating the ,iocduolls, a pneunmticpi dker for detaching o shoot from the pile und doli'vcringg it to the iced-rolls, and means for actuating said nieonmtic picker.

13. Thocom )inn ion, with slidcs,m1dwith nionns for siniulto-ncously rcciprocoting said slides, oi food-rolls movuhlo with the slides, menus for conti nuousiy rotnting tho fceduolls, at table lfor rorcoiviinr, a pilc of sheets, and moons czinfriod by ihcsl shoe from tho pilo and doli'vcring it to said continnousl otzitiug feed-rolls.

1d. The coinhinution, with u stationary tublc for. u pilc ol sheets, of a pncunmtic picker for soizing; n shoot from the pile, reciprocatory support [or sold pickcr, means for r'otsting tho piclrcr, n purutor on. said support and coopcrutiinr" with tho picker, and locduolls l'or :ulmnciing tho shoot delivered by the piclwr. i

l5, 'lho combination, with o s nn-t oi z: dpi'ocotorj," wire for a sspz'ilrntor i neous for oscillating the prunes o pile of sheets, oi c picker, :1. roci n'ocutory4 support for sand pioliol, moons lor actuating tho pickcr in an orcuutc path as it is 1'C(jll')l'0- sated, a separator cooporuting with said )iclior to remove a shoot from tho pile, and i'ccd-dovices carried by said. reciproczilory support for reccivii'ng the shoot dolivorcd by the picker. I

17. Tho combiinition, with u tublc for ro coiving a pile of shoots, ol :1 sliding support, means for reciprocuting said support, locdrolls curried by tho support, gearing for con tinuously driving said food rolls, and picker for detaching the shoot from the pile and delivering it to said food-rolls. i

18. The combination, with a sliding sup g table for receiving a pile of sheets, u pncurustic picker also carried by said sup port, and a sepmrator coopcra-ting with the picker to detach a shoot from thopile.

19. The combination, with u tnblo for supporting LL pile oi shoots, of a shaft, 21. picker csrric by said shaft, n gear on the shaft, means for reciprocating the shaft, a track with which the goor on tho shaft engages, and a separator carried by tho strait-reciprocating moons, and cooperating with the picker.

20. The combination, with it tuhio for supporting pile of sheets, of a tubular suslt having port, n pnounnttio piciwr rigid with tho shu'lt, mid hinting 11 port, moo-us for reciproosting the shaft, raclo-aiid-ggecr mocl'nn'iism for actuating ssid shul't, it so orator niovnblo in synchronism with. said shall, and cooper sting with the ,UiCliBK, andv .leod"moclotnism to which the shoot is delivered.

.21. The combination, withn tubular shult having a port, of a pneumaticiciicr rigid with the s] sit, it separator, moons for simultunoously actuating the slni tt and. separator, and-fcod-mcchunism coi'ipcrn-ting with tho picker.

.22. The combination, with a table for recciving opiio oi, shoots, oi a, picker, u sliding support for sold pii-loer, moons lor rind-ting tho piclsior, at driving e-ahulft, gearing actuated by said shaft, feed-rolls not noted by the genring, and moans actuated by the sup zttin suid pnalior to cuuso it to romovo mote ii: rolls, v I p 'llhe coiinlnimtion, with a tablercjr ro :m\ the table, and deliver it to tho feedceiving a pile of sheets, of a suction picker reciprocable beneath said pile, and serving to detach the lower sheet therefrom, means for actuating said picker, feed-rolls, means for continuously rotating said feed-rolls, a 'separator cooperating with the picker, and means for adjusting said separator.

25. The combination, with a table upon which a pile of sheets is placed, of a pair of slides, means for simultaneously reciprocating said slides, feed-devices carried by said slides, a picker also carried by the slides, a separator movable in synchronism with the slides, and means for actuating the picker to [5 cause it to detach a sheet from the pile and deliver said sheet to the feed-devices.

26. The combination, with a table for the reception of a pile of sheets, of suction and feed-devices for detaching and feeding a sheet from the pile, means for simultaneously reciprocating said devices, means for actuat- .ing said devices in proper timing jwith rela-v tion to each other, and a separator movable in synchronismwith said devices.

27. The combination, With a table for supporting a pile of sheets, ofslides mounted on Ways of the frame, a shaft ournaled in said slides, a picker carried by the shaft, a pinion on the shaft, a rack With which said pinion 3o engages, means for simultaneously reciprocating the slides, feerbrolls carried by the slides, and means for continuously rotating said feed-rolls.

28. The combination with a sheet-support,

seaoee pile, a reciprooatory-support for said device, I

and feed-rolls carried 'by the reoiprocatorysupport for seizing the sheet delivered by said device.

30. The combination, with a support for a pile of sheets, of a picker for detaching a sheet from thepile, a reciprocatory support for the picker, means for rotating the picker,

and continuously-driveri rolls carried by the reciproeatory support for seizing the sheet dehvere d by sald picker. 31. The combination, wlth a support for a pile of sheets, of a device for seizing one of.

the sheets of said pile, a re eiprocatory sup port for said devlee, a separator cooperating With said device, and feed-mechanism carried by said reciprocatory support, and to Which the sheet is delivered by said device.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of May, A. D., 1903.

WILLIAM G. JonNsrdii'. Witnesses:

JOHN F. GRADY, Enw. W. VAILL, Jr. 

